Business in Brief

McDonald's pays $7.18 million in\n2004 CEO's bonuses\nWASHINGTON -- In a year when McDonald's Corp. had three chief executive officers, the fast-food chain paid a total of $7.18 million in bonuses to executives holding the post.\nMcDonald's said in a definitive proxy filed Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it paid Vice Chairman and Chief Executive James A. Skinner a $2.2 million bonus for 2004. Skinner was elected chief executive on Nov. 22.\nThe Oak Brook, Ill.-based company said it awarded about $3.19 million to the estate of former President and Chief Executive Charles H. Bell. He stepped down from his posts on Nov. 22 for health reasons and died in January from cancer.\nAlso, McDonald's said it awarded a $1.8 million discretionary bonus to the estate of former Chairman and Chief Executive James R. Cantalupo, who died in April 2004 and was immediately replaced by Bell. Cantalupo's estate also received a long-term incentive plan payout of $791,200.\nMcDonald's said Skinner received total pay of $3.29 million for 2004, excluding the grant of stock options and restricted stock award.\nSkinner received a $900,344 salary, a $2.2 million bonus and "all other compensation" of $188,221. As vice chairman, he received a $810,000 bonus for 2003, a salary of $830,189 and "all other compensation" of $148,840.\nThe company gave Skinner 375,000 stock options for 2004, compared with a grant of 160,000 stock options for the previous year.\nThe 375,000 stock options had a total present value of $3.51 million, according to the filing.\nMcDonald's said Skinner received a restricted stock award valued at about $1.25 million for 2004, compared with an award valued at $880,609 he received as vice chairman in the previous year.\nEU trade chief still hopeful of Boeing, Airbus plane deal\nBRUSSELS, Belgium -- European Union trade chief Peter Mandelson said Wednesday he still hoped to reach a deal with U.S. negotiator Robert Zoellick on subsidies to aircraft makers Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS, despite escalating rhetoric between the two men.\nBut Mandelson also suggested that the U.S. negotiator's hands were tied by Boeing's lobbying in the U.S. Congress.\n"Bob's mandate from Boeing is to get rid of all Airbus' launch investment and to do so immediately, without any delay," Mandelson said. "Politically, therefore, he has little or no room to compromise given that Boeing has things pretty sewn up in Washington."\nMandelson said he hoped the U.S. side would return to the negotiating table after he laid out the EU's proposals last week in a Washington Post article.\n"So far they (the proposals) have not received a positive or ready response from the American side, but I continue to hope," Mandelson told reporters.\nThe two sides agreed in January to hold talks on their long-standing dispute over subsidies to France-based Airbus and Chicago-based Boeing Co. Mandelson and Zoellick agreed in February to seek a partial deal, lifting some subsidies by April 11, while working for a comprehensive agreement after that date.